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Representatives from casino firms told Florida lawmakers that taxes levied on casinos would be a key consideration for developing properties in the state. "The higher the tax, the less you can spend on the facility," said Nick Iarossi, representing Las Vegas Sands. "The less you spend on the facility, the less iconic the structure is, and the less people want to jump on an airplane or drive a long distance in a car to come see it."

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Tribal casinos in the U.S. generated a 3% increase in gambling revenue during 2011 and outperformed commercial casinos, according to Casino City's North American Gaming Almanac. "Tribal casinos are doing a very good job," said Vin Narayanan, editor-in-chief of the almanac. "They're not giant slot parlors. They're as good as any casinos you'd find anywhere in the world."

Underage gamblers in Macau are continuing to try to gain entry to casinos, according to local gaming regulators. The regulators said they track an average of 20,000 attempts per month by underage gamblers to get into casinos, which require patrons to be age 21 or older.

Voters in three Massachusetts communities will cast ballots today on two casino proposals. East Boston and Revere will vote on a proposal to build a casino at Suffolk Downs racetrack. Meanwhile, Palmer will vote on a proposed Mohegan Sun casino.

A second bid this year to authorize resort-casinos in Florida fizzled after a Senate committee voted against the bill. Lawmakers expressed concern about the bill's effect on the Florida horse-racing industry. "It's not dead," said Nick Iarossi, a lobbyist for Las Vegas Sands. "We will need to go back and regroup."